What is Hermes Agent?
Hermes Agent is an open-source, self-improving AI agent from Nous Research, written in Python. It is “the agent that grows with you,” with 178k+ GitHub stars as of June 2026.
In one sentence: Hermes Agent is an open-source AI agent that improves itself — it creates and refines its own skills from experience, so it gets better at your work over time. Built by Nous Research and written in Python, it sits at github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent with 178k+ stars as of June 2026. Where most assistants stay static, Hermes is designed to grow with you, which is the idea behind its tagline.
What Hermes Agent actually is
Hermes is an agent, not a chatbot. It connects to your messaging channels, runs tasks, and acts on your behalf — and crucially, it learns from doing so. The project is open source and maintained by Nous Research, a research group known for its work in open models. Because it is written in Python, it fits naturally alongside Python tooling and the wider machine-learning ecosystem.
The headline trait is self-improvement. A typical assistant ships with a fixed set of abilities; Hermes is built to expand its own. That makes it less of a finished tool and more of a companion that becomes more useful the longer it works with you.
The learning loop: how it grows with you
Hermes’s defining feature is its learning loop. As it handles tasks, it creates new skills and improves existing ones based on what actually worked. Over time, those skills compound — the agent accumulates capabilities tailored to how you operate rather than staying frozen at whatever it knew on day one.
This is what separates “the agent that grows with you” from a static chatbot. Instead of you re-explaining the same context every session, Hermes carries forward what it has learned and gets more capable with use. The result is an assistant whose value increases the more you rely on it.
MCP support and cron scheduling
Hermes connects to tools and context through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard way for agents to plug into external data and capabilities. It also includes cron scheduling, so it can run tasks on a recurring timetable — a morning summary, a periodic check, a nightly job — rather than only reacting when you message it. Together, MCP and cron let Hermes both reach outward to tools and act on its own schedule.
A messaging gateway, not a web server
Hermes runs as a messaging gateway with no public HTTP endpoint. In practice, that means there is no exposed web server sitting on the open internet waiting for requests. The agent reaches you through your chat channels instead, which reduces the attack surface you would otherwise have to secure with a public-facing service.
How to run Hermes
There are two paths. Self-hosting is free in license: clone the repo, set up Python and Docker, add your model keys and channel tokens, and keep a machine online 24/7. You get full control, but you also own the setup, SSL, updates, backups, and uptime.
Managed hosting removes that work. On VibeOpenClaw you pick Hermes, add a provider API key, paste a Telegram/Discord/Slack token, and click Create — your agent boots in a Docker-isolated container in about 30 seconds. You bring your own keys across 13 model providers and pay them directly with no inference markup, and keys are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM.
Hermes Agent at a glance
Self-improving learning loop
Hermes creates and refines its own skills from experience, so it gets better at your tasks the more you use it — "the agent that grows with you."
Built by Nous Research
An open-source project from Nous Research, with 178k+ GitHub stars as of June 2026, so you can read, audit, and extend the full codebase.
Written in Python
Hermes is a Python agent, making it a natural fit for Python tooling, libraries, and the broader ML ecosystem.
MCP + cron scheduling
It speaks the Model Context Protocol to connect tools and context, and uses cron to run tasks on a recurring schedule.
Messaging-gateway design
Hermes runs as a messaging gateway with no public HTTP endpoint, so there is no exposed web server to harden — it reaches you through your chat channels.
Self-host or managed
Run it on your own box, or let a managed host like VibeOpenClaw handle Docker, SSL, updates, and uptime for a flat monthly fee.
Choosing between the two big open-source agents? Read OpenClaw vs Hermes Agent. For a step-by-step setup, see how to deploy Hermes Agent, or go straight to managed Hermes hosting.
Frequently asked questions
What is Hermes Agent?+
Hermes Agent is an open-source, self-improving AI agent from Nous Research, written in Python. Its defining feature is a learning loop: it creates and improves its own skills from experience, so it gets better at your tasks over time — "the agent that grows with you." With 178k+ GitHub stars as of June 2026, it is one of the most popular open-source agent projects.
Who makes Hermes?+
Hermes Agent is built by Nous Research. The project is open source and available at github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent, where it has 178k+ GitHub stars as of June 2026.
What makes Hermes "self-improving"?+
Hermes runs a learning loop. As it handles tasks, it creates new skills and refines existing ones based on what worked, so its capabilities compound with use. Rather than staying static like a fixed chatbot, it adapts to how you work — which is why it is described as "the agent that grows with you."
How is Hermes different from OpenClaw?+
Both are open-source agents you can self-host or run on a managed platform, but they differ in language and design. Hermes is Python and centers on a self-improving learning loop that creates and refines skills over time; OpenClaw is Node.js/TypeScript with a ClawHub skills marketplace and 20+ channels. Hermes runs as a messaging gateway with no public HTTP endpoint, supports MCP, and can schedule work with cron. See our OpenClaw vs Hermes comparison for a side-by-side.
Does Hermes support MCP and scheduled tasks?+
Yes. Hermes supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for connecting tools and context, and it includes cron scheduling so it can run tasks on a recurring timetable rather than only responding to messages.
How do I run Hermes?+
You can self-host it — clone the repo, set up Python and Docker, configure your model keys and channels, and keep a server online 24/7 — or use a managed host. On VibeOpenClaw you pick Hermes, add a provider key and a Telegram/Discord/Slack token, and your agent is live in a Docker-isolated container in about 30 seconds, with no Docker or SSH to manage. See our Hermes hosting page for the walkthrough.
Run Hermes without the ops
Skip Python setup, Docker, and server maintenance. Deploy a Hermes agent on VibeOpenClaw in about 30 seconds — BYOK across 13 providers, from $24/mo.